1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a disk drive device equipped with a transport mechanism that transports disks having large and small different diameters and, more particularly, to a so-called a slot-in type disk drive device that automatically loads a disk into a device body only by inserting the disk into an insertion opening and an electronic apparatus that uses the disk drive device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical optical disk includes an optical disk, such as a CD (Compact Disk), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) and a BD (Blue-ray Disk), and a magneto-optical disk, such as an MO (Magneto optical) disk and an MD (Mini Disk). Various disk drive devices that are compatible with these disks, disk cartridges, and the like, are available.
The disk drive devices include a type in which a lid or a door provided for a casing is opened and a disk is directly mounted on a turn table that is accessed through the lid or the door, a type in which a disk is placed on a disk tray that horizontally moves into or out from a casing to automatically load the disk onto a turn table inside the casing when the disk tray is drawn into the casing, a type in which a disk is directly mounted on a turn table provided for a disk tray, and the like. However, in any type, it may be necessary for an operator to open or close a lid or a door, to move a disk tray in or out or mount a disk on a turn table.
In contrast, there is a so-called slot-in type disk drive device that automatically mounts a disk on a turn table only by inserting the disk from a disk insertion and ejection opening provided on the front surface of the casing. The slot-in type disk drive device is mainly classified into three types.
The first type includes a plurality of pivot arms of which support portions that support a side surface portion inserted from a disk insertion and ejection opening are provided at distal ends and proximal end portions are pivotably supported, and performs a loading action in which these pivot arms are pivoted in a plane parallel to a disk while drawing the disk from the disk insertion and ejection opening into the casing and an ejecting action in which a disk is ejected from the disk insertion and ejection opening to the outside of the casing. Most of this type is generally used in a slimmed mobile device, such as a notebook personal computer. However, it does not initiate drawing action until the maximum diameter portion or more of a disk is inserted in a device body, so this type is avoided in general home appliances.
The second type includes a pair of opposite guide rollers that hold surfaces of a disk inserted from a disk insertion and ejection opening, and performs a loading action in which the disk inserted from the disk insertion and ejection opening is drawn into a casing by rotating these pair of guide rollers in opposite directions and an ejecting action in which the disk is ejected from the disk insertion and ejection opening to the outside of the casing. Most of this type is generally used in an in-vehicle disk drive device that ensures a predetermined mounting space. Insertion and ejection of a disk may be smoothly performed; however, because rubbers of the rollers contact the surfaces of the disk, there is a possibility that a recording surface may be damaged after an extended period of use.
The third type, for example, as shown in FIG. 26, includes arms that are pivotably supported in a plane parallel to a disk, rubber rollers that are rotatably provided at distal ends of the arms, and rotation mechanisms of the rubber rollers. Then, the rubber rollers roll on the side surface portion of the disk to perform drawing and ejecting actions while holding the disk. This type is used in a home-use DVD player and a game machine. Because a disk insertion feeling is relatively smooth, and it is less likely to affect a recording surface of the disk, this type is particularly effective for disks having high recording density (see Japanese Patent No. 3867692).
In this third type, the pair of arms are supported at both sides of a disk insertion opening, so the rubber rollers that support the side surface portion of the disk are pivoted to a substantially middle in the disk insertion opening of the device body. As the rubber rollers are pivoted toward a far side, they are pivoted toward left and right side surfaces of the casing. Thus, in the above slot-in type disk drive device, as shown in FIG. 27A and FIG. 27B, an amount by which a disk is projected from the device body at the time when the disk is ejected is insufficient. Particularly, as shown in FIG. 27B, when a 8-cm disk is ejected, a recording surface tends to be touched. This causes degradation of recording and reproducing quality.
In addition, in the above slot-in type disk drive device, the pivot fulcrums of the arms are provided at both sides of the disk insertion opening. Thus, when another mechanism, such as a double insertion prevention mechanism for a disk, is provided at a front surface side of the device body as well, a degree of freedom of technical design is small. In addition, a degree of freedom of appearance design at the front surface of the device body is also limited.
In the disk drive device of a type described in Japanese Patent No. 3867692, as shown in FIG. 28, the pair of arms provided with the rubber rollers are pivotably supported at both sides of the disk insertion opening provided at the front surface of the device body, and the rubber rollers are urged in a direction to approach each other to support the side surface portion of the disk. Here, the pair of arm members are supported at an interval at both sides of the disk insertion opening, so it is difficult for the arm members to be directly coupled to each other. Urging members are provided for the respective arm members to urge the arm members in a direction to approach each other, and hold the disk by substantially equal urging forces. Thus, as the urging forces of the urging members vary because of component tolerance, aging, and the like, the left and right urging forces become unbalanced. Therefore, there is a possibility that transport of a disk may be unstable.
In addition, it is necessary for the disk drive device to perform centering to oppose a disk center hole to a turn table in order to mount the disk inserted into the device body onto the turn table to be driven for rotation. In addition, even when any disks having large and small different diameters are inserted, it is necessary for a centering member to synchronize with the pivot of the pair of arms in order to oppose the respective disk center holes to the turn table. Here, the centering member is arranged at the back surface side of the device body, and it is difficult for the centering member to be directly coupled to the pair of arms, so the centering member is coupled to the pair of arms via intermediate gears. Thus, the disk drive device uses a mediating member, such as intermediate gears, so the number of components is increased. In addition, by ensuring a space for arranging these components, the size and weight of the device body increase. Furthermore, as a result of coupling these components, rattling of each mediating member accumulates, and, therefore, there is a possibility that inconvenience, such as unstable operation, may occur.